Youth Support Worker Jobs

CARE (Child at Risk of Exploitation) Boys and Young Men Practitioner

Permanent contract but funding for this role ends on 31st March 2026

35 hours per week

£29,855.00 per annum

Essex - Countywide role based in Chelmsford

The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We run local services that support young people when they are at their most vulnerable and in desperate need of help. We're there for young people, every step of the way.  

This role sits within our children and families directorate, which works to provide immediate one-to-one and group support for young people who urgently need support. Your role will be to help us maintain and develop innovative practice to support our work in our services within the Essex area.  

We wish to recruit a specialist Boys and Young Mens worker to join our established Essex CARE (Child At Risk of Exploitation) team, supporting male young people aged 8-25 who are at risk of currently victim of exploitation; criminal, sexual, financial or domestic servitude.

You will provide direct therapeutic support to vulnerable young males and support and signpost families who are affected by exploitation. You will provide professional expertise in various panels that review individual risk as well as offer training and resources for other professionals supporting potentially exploited young people.

Support offered will include one to one face to face interventions, targeted group work & online support across the County as well as consultation with professionals.

The young people will require a skilled practitioner who is experienced in working with hard to reach, vulnerable young people at risk through the use of therapeutic approaches. You should have experience of facilitating groups or delivering training with knowledge of the issues and legislation affecting young people who are at risk of exploitation. 

What we are looking for...

-You will have substantial experience in working with vulnerable young people either in a paid or unpaid capacity. To be able to evidence your ability to build positive relationships with groups of young people to raise awareness about substance use and the associated risks and impact. 

-You will have experience of carrying out individual and group work interventions with young people and/or adults, either in an intervention or educative capacity. 

-You will have experience in using Microsoft Office Applications and other relevant data systems.  

-You can demonstrate the ability to work on your own initiative as well as be able to contribute to a multi-agency approach so as to enable effective interventions with young people, including delivering training to a range of professionals. 

-You hold a full UK driver's license and have access to you own transport.

As well as a strong commitment to your development, we offer a generous holiday entitlement, a contributory stakeholder pension, childcare vouchers and flexible working. 

The Children's Society runs over 100 local services that help thousands of young people who desperately need our support, and we campaign to get laws and policies changed to make young people's lives happier and safer.  

The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services.

Therefore, candidates applying for work in our Youth Impact Domain will be required to complete an “Employment history_template” document prior to interview. The fully completed document should be loaded by the candidate at the point of uploading your CV.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 24th March 2025. If after 14 days, we have received enough applications we can close this vacancy from the 10th March onwards.

Interviews will be held on 2nd and 9th April 2025.

Please note that interviews will be held in person at our Chelmsford office.

IN1

Our client delivers a range of impactful activities and experiences for people with a learning disability and autistic people. Together, their dedicated team of specially trained staff ensure that activities are person-centred and meaningful, aimed at developing skills, building confidence and creating lasting friendships. At an exciting time of growth for the organisation, they are now looking to recruit a Head of Services and Quality, to oversee the delivery of services across Woking.

Reporting to the CEO, as Head of Services and Quality, you will work to shape strategy, inspire positive change, and lead service delivery teams, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration. You will ensure that services meet local authority contract targets, internal KPIs and consistently deliver outstanding outcomes for beneficiaries. You will drive continuous quality improvement and will create fair, transparent processes that value and support staff. You will continually monitor and evaluate services, gathering data and feedback in order to evidence outcomes and impact.

To apply for this role, you will be a caring and collaborative leader, with significant experience of overseeing frontline services for children, young people or adults with a learning disability. You will have demonstrable experience of overseeing teams of frontline staff (including sessional workers) and will have experience of driving quality improvement and reporting on service impact. The ideal candidate will understand high-quality, person-centred care and will bring excellent organisational, communication, and leadership skills. 

If you are interested in finding out more about this exciting opportunity, please register your interest and submit your CV by clicking 'apply now' below. Suitable candidates will then be contacted for an initial conversation.

At Prospectus, we are committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application. If you are enthusiastic about working with a fantastic charity that makes a real difference in people's lives, we would love to hear from you!

Interviews to take place in Tadworth on Tuesday 27th March

Please note, this role is Monday-Friday (37.5 hrs) however some weekend and school holiday working will be required (to be discussed at interview).

The Children's Society 'Vaping' Project Worker 

 Project Worker Essex based in Chelmsford working County Wide

 Salary: £29,855.00 per annum / £16,137.84 pro rata

Part time 20 hour position available

Contract end date 31st December 2027

We are currently looking for an innovative and motivated group worker/ youth worker to join our dynamic, ambitious team. 

We wish to recruit a Vaping Practitioner to cover the County of Essex, based both at home and within our central office in Chelmsford. This person will deliver the work of The Children's Society to children & young people who are engaged in vaping through the use of individual support and group work, thereby ensuring the children and young people are educated on harm reduction methods and have access to quitting and reduction support.

This role sits within Youth Impact, which works to provide immediate one-to-one and group support for children who urgently need support. 

Your experience is key in securing this role:

In order to be successful in this role, you must have: 

-Experience working with young people in a group and one to one setting

-Have understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities young people face especially in relation to vaping

-Have access to a car and a full UK driving license

-Be able to use IT to support case recording and calendar management

You will need substantial experience in working with vulnerable children and young people either in a paid or unpaid capacity.  You will have experience of developing and facilitating groups with young people and delivering one to one support both virtually and face to face in the school, community or home setting.

Ideally but not essentially you will have, or be working towards a relevant professional qualification e.g. a Diploma/Certificate in Youth and Community work, counselling, social care or related NVQ or have relevant experience in these fields.

As well as a strong commitment to your development, we offer a generous pro rata holiday entitlement, a contributory stakeholder pension, childcare vouchers and agile and flexible working.

The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We run local services that support children when they are at their most vulnerable and in desperate need of help. We're there for children, every step of the way. 

The Children's Society runs over 100 local services that help thousands of young people who desperately need our support, and we campaign to get laws and policies changed to make children's lives happier and safer. 

Every day we're changing the lives of children in this country for the better - and with your help, tomorrow we can be there for even more. 

The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with.  As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks.  We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services.

Therefore, candidates applying for work in our Youth Impact Domain will be required to complete an “Employment history template” document prior to interview. The fully completed document should be loaded by the candidate at the point of uploading your CV.

The closing date for applications is on 4th April 2025. If after 14 days we receive enough applications, we reserve the right to close this vacancy from the 25th March onwards.

Interviews will be held on 8th April.

IN1

Want to play your part in transforming society?

You’re in the right place.

The mission of York Vineyard Church is to further the gospel of Jesus Christ, build up the faith of Christian believers, share in the training of workers, promote Christian education, advance the Kingdom of God and bring relief to the poor, the needy, the sick and elderly. 

“Since hearing about the Spear Programme we have seen how well the coaching focusses on mindset, as well as skills, with the aim to support young people to thrive in the workplace, looking beyond just an initial job offer”

The important stuff 

Salary: £27,000

Hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm, Monday – Friday, Full-time (with some flexibility and occasional evening or weekend work for events such as Spear Celebrations)

Location: York Vineyard Church

Application Deadline: Monday 17th March. We are interviewing on a rolling basis and might close the application early if we find the right candidate.

Application: We will not process applications through this page. Please apply through the York Vineyard Church website. 

We would encourage applicants to find out more about York Vineyard Church by reading through their website when applying.

Wheelchair access and disabled parking available.

Download the application pack for more information. 

Personal qualities we’re looking for

• An active Christian, able to personally represent the values and beliefs of Resurgo and York Vineyard Church, and a commitment to grow and learn spiritually and as a Christian leader
• A dynamic and engaging coach with an enthusiasm for and direct experience of coaching and training techniques
• Passion for social justice and for working as part of the church to transform communities, especially supporting young people in employment or education
• An entrepreneurial and ambitious individual who enjoys starting new projects, works well under pressure and can translate ideas into practice with creativity
• Self-motivated with strong leadership, management and organisational skills with the ability to exercise initiative and prioritise workload
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a confidence in group facilitation, high emotional intelligence, and a sense of fun!

Key Responsibilities

Oversight of Spear Programme

Spear Foundation is a 4-week initial phase, consisting of 2 group sessions and a 1:1 with each trainee per week, in which we coach young people around skills and mindsets to support them in returning to work or education, and equip them with the skills to stay there. 

• Lead group sessions of around 10 young people each, using coaching skills to transform attitudes to their own ability and the work place, and to raise their awareness and maximise potential in stepping into the world of work
• Prepare and coach group and 1-1 sessions with the Spear Coach
• Ensure the programme is delivered in line with agreed targets, and report KPIs on recruitment, retention and completion of Spear Trainees to Resurgo and the Spear Trust, as well as their ongoing progress and sustainment of work or education

Partnership liaison and relationship management

• Establish the primary local referral agencies and build and implement a strategy for developing relationships with them to ensure recruitment of young people onto the Spear programme is effective
• Maintain and develop relationships with local partners to form a strong referral network

Line Management and training

• Manage the Spear Coach, using a coaching approach to invest in their growth and development
• Be line managed by Resurgo to support with the set-up and ongoing operations of the centre and report back on KPIs

Church Community

• The Spear Centre Manager is directly employed by York Vineyard Church, meaning you are part of a vibrant church staff team and submerged in an exciting faith community
• You will be required to establish strong relationships with key people at the church to ensure the engagement and backing of church members and help the Spear Coach to establish a strong presence at the church to build a network of supporters for the Spear programme
• Ensure the Spear programme is a key missional feature of the work of the church; this may involve attending church events and speaking at services

Site management and set-up

• Work with the church to set up the training room and IT infrastructure for the new Spear Centre in advance of opening
• Liaise with relevant staff locally on-site issues and work to resolve them as soon as possible, ensuring the office and training room are safe and tidy working spaces in line with health and safety policies
• Other ad hoc church responsibilities from time to time

Main purpose of job: To provide specialist advocacy support to a caseload of clients with complex mental health needs, including support around housing, finances, health, domestic abuse and other issues. The role may also involve occasionally supporting CARA groups.

Start date: As soon as possible (subject to Enhanced DBS Check and satisfactory references).

Salary: £28,344 - £30,469 per annum.

Contract: Permanent contract.

Hours: Full time, 35 hours a week.  

Place of work: To work flexibly across CARA premises in Colchester with regular travel across mid and north Essex, including Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester and Dunmow. The post may also involve some remote working, if a suitable home working environment is available.

Holiday: 25 days per year pro-rata, plus additional closure days between Christmas and New Year.

To apply: Please complete the application form, which can be downloaded from our website explaining how your skills and experience relate to the person specification.  Applications must specifically address each essential and desirable criteria, giving evidence from previous experience or qualifications. 

Application deadline: Tuesday 1st April 2025, 9am.

Interviews:  Monday 7th April.  

This post is restricted to women applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1.

Job Description

To provide advocacy support to a caseload of clients with complex mental health needs, including support around housing, finances, health, domestic abuse and other issues. CARA’s advocacy service focuses primarily on meeting the needs of some of our most complex clients – victims and survivors who would be unable to access other advocacy services.  The role will also involve supporting the wider CARA team in signposting other clients to external advocacy agencies, as appropriate and attendance at CARA groups to provide a drop-in advocacy surgery.

Main Responsibilities

·To manage a caseload of complex clients seeking short and long-term advocacy support, including support around housing, finances, health, domestic abuse and other issues.

·To manage referrals in to CARA’s Advocacy service, ensuring clients meet the referral criteria.

·To provide line-management for CARA’s social care placement worker and potential future advocacy volunteers.

·To assess all new referrals to CARA’s advocacy services, allocating cases to members of the advocacy team, as appropriate.

·To liaise with other agencies, receiving and making referrals and ensuring that they understand CARA’s role and services.

·To gather information about local and national agencies and manage storage and display of this material at CARA.  To work with CARA’s Integrated Support and Advocacy Manager to create a directory of services that can be used by all the CARA team.

·To support CARA’s group work, including attendance to provide advocacy support and supporting other activities.

·To attend regular team meetings and to work with colleagues to further the objectives of CARA.

·To maintain and collate evaluation data, testimonials or case studies for distribution.

·To adhere to CARA’s organisational policies and procedures, including safeguarding procedures.

·To report to the Integrated Support and Advocacy Manager, Head of Operations, Chief Executive Officer and Trustees as required, including the production of written reports.

·To be administratively self-servicing.

·To undertake any other activities as required by the Integrated Support and Advocacy Manager, Head of Operations, Chief Executive Officer and Trustees.

About CARA

CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs. 

CARA is a registered charity working with adults of all genders, young people and children from across mid and north Essex.  We have a head office in Colchester and outreach premises in Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Great Dunmow and Harwich.  We also provide remote services.

CARA seeks to be an inclusive organisation that actively encourages, supports and values diversity amongst both our service-users and our workers.  We wish to create a culture in which discrimination, in all its forms, is recognised and addressed.

You can read more about CARA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion on our website. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds.

About Synergy Essex

CARA is part of Synergy Essex – the Essex Rape and Sexual Abuse Partnership. We work closely with SERICC Rape and Sexual Abuse Specialist Service and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis (SOS Rape Crisis) to deliver the contract for the Office for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex for services for victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse across Essex.

Social Care Link Worker Substance Misuse Practitioner

Permanent contract but funding for this role ends on 31st March 2026 with potential for extension in line with the EYPDAS contract which ends 31st March 2030

Hours: 37 hours per week

Salary: £29,855.00 per annum

The Children's Society is currently undertaking a pay and grading review - this review is intended to improve our current approach; we are currently consulting with our recognised trade union and any changes are due to be implemented in April 2025.

Location: Essex - Countywide role primarily covering 2 quadrants

The Children's Society has been helping children and young people in this country for over 140 years. We run local services that support young people when they are at their most vulnerable and in desperate need of help. We're there for young people, every step of the way.  

This role sits within our children and families directorate, which works to provide immediate one-to-one and group support for young people who urgently need support. Your role will be to help us maintain and develop innovative practice to support our work in our services within the Essex area.  

We wish to recruit a Social Care Link Practitioners to join our established Essex Young Peoples Drug and Alcohol Team (EYPDAS) supporting young people aged 8-25 who are using or misusing substances and their families as well as being a point of contact for Essex Social Care.

You will provide direct therapeutic support to vulnerable young people, vulnerable young adults and families who are affected by substance use; engaging parents and carers into the drug treatment system, where required. You will support Essex Children's Social Care to be a point of contact and information..

Support offered will include one to one face to face interventions, targeted group work & online support across the County as well as consultation with professionals. You will also facilitate training around substances for statutory and voluntary agencies across the County. 

The young people will require a skilled practitioner who is experienced in working with hard to reach, vulnerable young people at risk through the use of therapeutic approaches. You should have experience of facilitating groups or delivering training with knowledge of the issues and legislation affecting young people who are using or misusing substances. 

What we are looking for...

-You will have substantial experience in working with vulnerable young people either in a paid or unpaid capacity. To be able to evidence your ability to build positive relationships with groups of young people to raise awareness about substance use and the associated risks and impact. 

-You will have experience of carrying out individual and group work interventions with young people and/or adults, either in an intervention or educative capacity. 

-You will have experience in using Microsoft Office Applications and other relevant data systems.  

-You can demonstrate the ability to work on your own initiative as well as be able to contribute to a multi-agency approach so as to enable effective interventions with young people, including delivering training to a range of professionals. 

-You hold a full UK drivers license and have access to you own transport.

As well as a strong commitment to your development, we offer a generous holiday entitlement, a contributory stakeholder pension, childcare vouchers and flexible working. 

The Children's Society runs over 100 local services that help thousands of young people who desperately need our support, and we campaign to get laws and policies changed to make young people's lives happier and safer.  

The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services.

Therefore, candidates applying for work in our Youth Impact Domain will be required to complete an “Employment history_template” document prior to interview. The fully completed document should be loaded by the candidate at the point of uploading your CV.

The closing date for applications is midnight on 31st March 2025. If after 14 days, we have received enough applications we can close this vacancy from the 24th March onwards.

Interviews will be held on 8th April.

Please note that interviews will be held in person at our Chelmsford office.

IN1

Young Carer Wellbeing Mentor Fixed Term Basis to 31 March 2028

Location: Hybrid
Salary: £24295.43 FTE
Department: Young Carers
Contract Type: Permanent

Funded by the National Lottery’s Community Fund, our clients Caring for Our Futures project aims to deliver wellbeing focused one to one and group support for a cohort of Young Carers.

Supporting Young Carers in progressing a personalised pathway to improved wellbeing, whilst building trusting relationships with Young Carers; so they feel able to talk about the different problems they face.

About Them

A team of dedicated people who make a real difference to the lives of young people living in Northamptonshire, They love what they do!

After a referral to the Young Carers Service a Young Carer Worker will initially carryout a Needs Assessment which looks at what caring activities a young person may be undertaking, the appropriateness of these activities, and the impact the caring role may be having on them. This assessment takes into consideration the voice of the parent and the voice of the young person. The young person may also want them to talk to other adults in their lives. Following this, a support plan will be put together with actions and recommendations to support the young carer and the family. This could include information, advice, guidance, referrals to other agencies for the young carer of the cared-for person, or access to support within the service.

The Role

This role will support Young Carers in progressing a personalised pathway to improved wellbeing. To build trusting relationships with Young Carers; so they feel able to talk about the different problems they face.

To ensure Young Carers are at the centre of shaping support packages tailored to their needs and aspirations. To assess the wellbeing needs of individual Young Carers and create holistic wellbeing improvement plans; and to record progress in advancing their personal wellbeing goals.

To help Young Carers gain insight into their emotions; and help them develop practical self-help strategies and build confidence, self-esteem, emotional resilience and motivation.

Full-time, 37 hours per week - Monday to Friday - flexibility to work evenings
job share/part-time considered

What you'll be doing:

• Deliver wellbeing focussed 1 to 1 and group support
• Design, develop and implement wellbeing resources and a content programme
• Evaluate and review the needs of young carers with the project
• Provide transport enabling access to groups and activities
• Support to the wider community team

About You

• Ideally you will have an understanding of Young Carers within the community
• You may have worked as a Youth Worker or Mental Health Support Worker or Teaching Assistant within a Social Care environment or have personal experience of this
• Flexibility to work outside of the 9 to 5 covering evening work
• Establish effective relationships with each young person to support wellbeing
• You'll have the ability to actively listen, and empathise with people
• Support a culturally sensitive service - they have a strong focus on diversity and inclusion
• You'll have great communication skills both verbally, written and resource delivery
• You have the ability to organise, plan and priotise outcomes-focused activities
• You are used to working with IT Software, such as MS Word, Powerpoint, Excel and Teams
• You'll have an awareness of safeguarding for vulnerable adults and children and Health & Safety at all times
• You'll hold a full driving licence with access to a vehicle

What they’ll offer in return:

• 24 days holiday plus bank holidays - pro rata for part-time
• Simply Health Cash Plan
• Death in Service benefit (should the worse happen, your loved ones will be supported)
• A supportive environment, no stuffy dress-codes, flexibility where we can

What next:

Click apply and they look forward to receiving your application

Please be advised, should they receive enough suitable applications, they reserve the right to close the vacancy early.

The successful candidate will be required to have an enhanced DBS check and the right to work in the UK.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment team aware as soon as possible.

Our client are committed to supporting and promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and are passionate about action, not words, being essential when tackling workplace race inequality. They have made some great progress with their EDI work and as a result, have become a Race Equality Matters Trailblazer, awarded to them for their efforts in championing and pioneering the drive towards racial equality. But they still have lots of work to do to continue to raise awareness, tackle all forms of discrimination and inequality, and create greater understanding of the issues that impact all of the people they affect, both in the workplace and the services their organisation provides. They are committed to being an inclusive organisation and recognise the important role their staff and service users play in creating and maintaining that inclusive culture.

They are striving to be a diverse, inclusive organisation and support under-represented unpaid carers. You can read about their Big Promise Project here

They are looking to recruit a team player with excellent communication, assessment and time management skills to join their Young Carers Service Team.

The successful applicant will work closely with Young Carers and their families. Ideally you will have experience of working and relating to young people, an understanding of Young Carers’ needs and working knowledge/experience in Health, Social Services, Education and /or Voluntary Sector.

The ability to have use of a car to travel between locations is essential.

REF-220344

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Registered Service Manager to join our Learning Disability service in Stevenage.

£41,000.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:

Free on site parking
Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
Free DBS
Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
Fully paid induction programme and further training
ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
Healthcare Cashplan through our partner Healthshield
Cycle to work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
Online wellbeing resources
A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

For a full job description, please visit our jobs site and search REQ006046

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

The Registered Service Manager will be responsible for the operations of a specialist service in Stevenage, which supports 10 customers who are leaving restrictive environments to live in their own homes. The role will provide line management for a Deputy Manager and support team, ensuring that compliance with organisational, legal regulations and those of the local authority are adhered to and the quality of support is of the highest standard possible, ensuring excellent quality of life for customers and a good working environment for colleagues. The role will require the individual to be the CQC registered service manager, making the person the accountable person with the Care Quality Commission, as well as with commissioners and key stakeholders.

We are looking for a Registered Service Manager to join us on a journey to drive improvements within our service. The successful candidate will identify areas for development, implement strategies to enhance service quality, and ensure compliance with best practices and regulatory standards.

Overall, you will be a role model for all employees, being approachable and providing a regular presence as well as being consistent in all actions and decisions.

The role will also require the individual to embed a Positive Behavioural Approach through coaching and leadership. Co-production and a person-centred approach are essential to this role.

Our customers say:

"I would like a manager who makes me and my family welcome."
"I really enjoy spending time with my housemates; I would like a manager who makes this happen."
"When I am feeling low and anxious, I would like a manager who gives me time."

What you'll bring:

Essential:

A minimum of two years' experience as a Registered Manager or in a leadership role within a learning disability or complex needs setting
Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care (or willing to work towards it)
Comprehensive knowledge of CQC standards and regulatory requirements
Strong leadership, organisational, and communication skills
A passion for delivering person-centered care and empowering individuals

Desirable:

PBS coach qualification or experience in working with PBS
Experience of managing large staff teams and creating positive cultures
Have relevant professional memberships and/or specialist qualifications

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Senior Research and Evaluation Manager

The McPin Foundation

Type: 2 years fixed term (possibility of extension)

Location: Head office, Bethnal Green, E2 9DA

Salary: From £41,574 to £46,637 (depending on experience)

Hours: 1 FTE (37.5 hours per week)

Can you inspire and lead a team?  Bring your experience and expertise to further develop our organisation?  Support a team of peer researchers to develop their own research and evaluation skills and appropriately use their lived experience in their work?

We are recruiting for a Senior Research and Evaluation Manager role within our team.  This is a key role within our organisation, joining our managers group alongside colleagues in public involvement (including youth involvement), peer research, communications, and operations. This role will have programme and line management responsibility for 3 or 4 staff working from a lived experience perspective.  Specifically the role will work upon a new public health evaluation programme with colleagues at McPin and The University of Exeter, and a qualitative study exploring sexism and impact on girls mental health as part of a large Wellcome funded grant led by researchers at Kings College London in collaboration with researchers in Tokyo. 

We are looking for someone with well-developed research and evaluation skills applied to mental health and public health contexts, specifically advanced qualitative methods and social theory. The two current projects require advanced qualitative skills, working to deliver evaluations to tight deadlines and supporting other staff to analyse complex data, including cross-national analysis. The role will also require the postholder to develop research and evaluation skills in others, including community partners. They will lead on writing reports, papers and new project tenders, as well as co-developing larger proposals with university partners as opportunities arise. 

Our team is committed to transforming mental health research through collaboration, inclusion and a belief in equity and anti-oppressive behaviour.  We strongly encourage applications from Black people, People of Colour, people who are LGBTQIA+, those with a disability and those who identify themselves in marginalised groups, as well as people with lived experience of mental health issues.

We offer benefits including a competitive salary, hybrid/flexible working, a NEST Pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, a wellbeing support and mentoring scheme, an individual training budget and access to an Employee Assistance Programme and healthcare cash plan with Hospital Saturday Fund.  You can find out more on the McPin Foundation website.

The closing date for applications is Tuesday 1st April 2025, 9 am

To apply please go to job vacancies on the McPin Foundation website to download the job description and application form.

For any queries please email your query to our contact inbox. 

Job Description: Head of Services and Quality

LinkAble supports people with a learning disability and autistic people to create the life they want to live by providing opportunities that develop skills, confidence and lasting friendships. We operate from our accessible centre, The Link, in Woking, and within the community.

After a period of growth, we are forming a Senior Management Team (SMT) to guide our next phase of development. We are seeking a Head of Services and Quality (HSQ) and a Head of Finance and Operations (HFO) to work alongside the CEO.

Overall Aim

We are looking for an exceptional individual to join our SMT as HSQ. Working with the CEO and HFO, you will shape strategy, inspire positive change, and lead service delivery teams, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.

You will ensure services meet local authority contract targets, internal KPIs, and deliver outstanding outcomes for the people we support. You will drive continuous quality improvement and create fair, transparent processes that value and support staff.

About the Role

The HSQ will oversee all Children’s and Adults’ Services, supported by an Adult Services Manager, Afterschool Club Manager, and two Team Leaders. You will directly lead Children’s Services, including playschemes, social groups and afterschool clubs.

Key priorities

Building a skilled, motivated team of playworkers and sessional staff through training, coaching, and support. You will also oversee financial management of services with the HFO, ensuring sustainability and compliance with local authority contracts. You’ll gather data and feedback to evidence our impact and report on KPIs to the CEO and Trustees.

You will work with the Office Manager to embed our Health and Safety Framework and identify resources to enhance service user experiences.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy

• Inspire a culture of continuous improvement.
• Contribute to strategic planning aligned with LinkAble’s mission to ensure sustainability of services
• Report quarterly to the Board on service improvements.

Services Management

• Oversee all services, leading the services management team.
• Directly manage Children’s Services and oversee Adult Services.
• Ensure clear communication, accountability, and staff development.

Team Development

• Work with the Talent Acquisition and Retention (TAR) Manager to recruit and support staff.
• Ensure robust induction, training, and coaching for playworkers and sessional staff.
• Promote equality, diversity, and career progression.
• Monitor staff retention and engagement.
• Ensure health and safety practices are followed.

Service Quality

• Drive continuous improvement and person-centred support planning.
• Develop diverse activity programmes for service users.
• Embed co-production to meet service user needs.
• Implement inclusive communication strategies and crisis intervention training.
• Conduct observations and audits to enhance quality.
• Incorporate feedback from service users, families, and staff.

Financial Management

• Develop and monitor service delivery budgets with the CEO and HFO.
• Support fundraising by identifying projects and developing funding proposals.
• Ensure income and expenditure align with contract requirements.

Contract Management

• Ensure compliance with local authority contracts.
• Build relationships with Commissioners and stakeholders.
• Support tender applications for new contracts.
• Collaborate with health and social care professionals.

Compliance and Best Practice

• Keep service-related policies up to date.
• Ensure safeguarding, health and safety, and quality standards are maintained.
• Implement evidence-based practices like Positive Behaviour Support and Active Support.

General

• Follow LinkAble’s policies and procedures, with a focus on equality and diversity.
• Undertake training for continuous professional development.
• Support fundraising events and other duties as needed.

About You

We seek a caring, driven leader with experience of managing teams in education, social care, or charity settings. You should have a strong track record in both strategic planning and hands-on service delivery.

The ideal candidate will understand high-quality, person-centred care and bring excellent organisational, communication, and leadership skills. 

A flexible, ‘can-do’ approach, coupled with a commitment to LinkAble’s values, vision, and dedication to equality, diversity, and inclusion, is key. Some weekend and school holiday working will be required (to be discussed at interview).

Do you want to help engage potential students and see them through the enrolment process? We need an energetic person with excellent communication skills to join our team. You’ll be responsible for entire enrolment process, from initial enquiry to starting on a programme. You’ll also be working with families to ensure that learning gained at Share is practiced at home.

Share is a registered charity and a centre for training and wellbeing. We provide a range of programmes helping adults with learning disabilities, autism and other support needs become more happy, healthy, and independent. Our vision is a world where disabled people are fully included in society, living the life they choose, and we need talented people like you to help us make that happen.

Main responsibilities

• You’ll contact enquiries, within agreed timescales, to provide information about Share’s services and to arrange show around visits across our different projects
• You’ll ensure that the students’ wishes are captured and communicated
• You’ll build trust and rapport with people’s support networks to ensure Share has all the relevant information needed to best support the student
• You’ll liaise with the social services access team to apply for funding for the potential new student to join
• You’ll arrange start dates for new students, plan and deliver their induction and make sure they have a smooth start to their time at Share

Who we’re looking for

• You’re an excellent communicator and can build rapport quickly with people from diverse backgrounds and at all levels inside and outside of the organisation
• You have excellent administrative and ICT skills and have the ability to produce clear concise reports
• You learn quickly and are good at planning ahead, demonstrating a methodical and flexible approach to a busy and varied workload
• You’re a strong team-player and enjoy working alongside others
• Most importantly, you’re passionate about helping disabled people enjoy more autonomy and you understand how to make this happen

Why work for us?

Share is committed to empowering disabled people. You’ll make a difference every day, helping people to live as independently as possible.

Our values drive us forward. They provide the framework for everything we do, including who we hire. We believe everyone has something to offer others, and we build on people's individual talents, interests, and abilities. We think happy employees are successful employees.

We won employer of the year at the Wandsworth Business Awards in 2019 and we hold gold Investors in People accreditation. This means we truly understand the value of people: we focus on what people can do, not what holds them back. And we have robust policies in place so that every single person working at Share takes ownership for making our programmes come to life.

We’ve been praised for our thorough induction process and supportive working environment where everyone has a voice and is valued. You’ll be surrounded by people who support you, challenge you, and inspire you.

How to apply

We actively encourage applications from people from minoritised ethnic communities and with lived experience of a learning disability and/or autism. This is because we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of our student body wherever possible in order to provide the best possible service. 

To apply for this role, please send us your experience and a personal statement addressing the three questions below: 

1. What do you see as the main opportunities and challenges in enrolling new students at Share?

2. How do you build rapport with people’s support networks, including Social Workers, Parents and Carers, Support Staff and Case Coordinators? 

3. Give us an example of a time where you have managed a complex workload and achieved results in line with a project plan. 

If you would like to have chat about the role or visit us prior to applying, please contact a member of the HR team. 

We focus on ability and believe people work best when they feel valued, safe and happy. We do all that we can to make sure that Share is friendly and welcoming to everyone. All CVs and applications are sanitised to ensure unbiased recruitment, and if you make it to interview stage, some questions will be sent in advance. All disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria will be offered an interview. 

This job is subject to two satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and providing evidence of the right to work in the UK. If you are disabled and would like to discuss other ways of submitting your application, please contact us. 

Our privacy policy for job applicants can be found on our website. 

We look forward to receiving your application. 

Specialist Schools Coordinator

Location: London

Salary: £26,250 - £34,650 per annum

Waythrough's vision is to break down the barriers that stop people getting the support they need to live a life they value. They tackle poverty and disadvantage in communities, through mental health, drug and alcohol, housing and related support.

They have almost 200 services around England – and nearly 3,500 amazing staff and volunteers who run them. Every year their services support around 125,000 people.

The Role

An exciting and innovative opportunity has arisen in Lewisham for a highly skilled and experienced individual to join their team as a Drug and Alcohol Education Specialist. They are seeking a dedicated professional, ideally with a background as a drug and alcohol worker, school welfare officer, or student support worker, who shares their vision of creating a healthier future for young people.

The organisation adopt a bio-social model approach and aim to work collaboratively with schools to develop and deliver engaging sessions on drugs, alcohol, and healthy relationships. As a Drug and Alcohol Education Specialist, you will play a pivotal role in promoting awareness and providing essential guidance to students, teachers, and parents alike. Through training programs and workshops, you will empower educators and parents with the knowledge and tools needed to address substance abuse issues effectively.

Skills and Qualifications

• Previous experience as a drug and alcohol worker, school welfare officer, or student support worker is highly desirable.
• A thorough understanding of the challenges and issues surrounding drugs, alcohol, and young people.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to deliver engaging presentations and workshops.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of local resources and treatment services related to drug and alcohol support is advantageous.
• Relevant qualifications in counselling, social work, or a related field will be considered an asset.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement (27 days, plus bank holidays, increasing to 32 after 1 years’ service)
• Annual leave purchase scheme
• Enhanced occupational sick pay
• Enhanced employer contribution to your workplace pension
• Death in service benefit
• Free Will writing
• Eyecare vouchers
• Blue light card discount
• Fantastic learning and development opportunities, including free training courses
• Work-life balance- flexible working and family-friendly policies
• Happy, Healthy You! – their wellbeing offers for their workforce
• Employee Assist Programme and Support Networks

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for this reputable organisation, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Team Leader to join our Young People service in Tower Hamlets.

£32000.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
A Team Leader will be fully involved in all aspects of the day to day management of their designated service, including line managing the relevant front line staff. You will lead and develop competence of direct reports as well as carry caseloads of customers requiring support. You will work closely with the Contract Manager to ensure that the service delivers on all targets, both financial and those around the quality of the service.
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

What you'll do:
- Lead and motivate your team to ensure the championing of and maintenance of a positive local culture within your service
- Deliver effective supervision and team meetings with staff and ensure that information, reporting and communication
- Responsible for the personal development of staff, identifying high performers and feeding into the organisations succession plans
- Ensure that Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) required as part of the Contract are met and recorded correctly
- Develop key business relationships with all appropriate relevant customers/external parties to ensure service delivery excellence and maximise new business opportunities in own patch
- Participate in and monitor the initial and continuous assessment of needs and ensure that support planning is carried out in line with assessed needs of the customer
- Carry out other administrative tasks as relevant to the service and directed by the Contract/Heads of Operations
- Deliver an out of hours on-call service for region, where required
- Ensure that all safeguarding cases are managed in line with safeguarding protocols and are reported to Contract Manager/Head of Operations, as appropriate
- Ensure Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all times and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
- Adhere to all the policies and procedures of Look Ahead Care, Support & Housing plus those specific to the project including any statutory requirements
This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead
About you:
- Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, networks in local business community
- Approachable and open behaviour
- Prefers working as part of a group or team
- Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
- Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
- Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
- Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
- Is passionate and enthusiastic about his/her career and job experiences
- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude

What you'll bring:

Essential:
- Educated to degree level or equivalent

Desirable:
- Other relevant professional memberships and/or specialist qualifications are desirable

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 120 services, providing support to around 6000 customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Beacon Counselling is a registered mental health charity in Stockport dedicated to improving mental health and emotional resilience of our community for more than 40 years.

We deliver a whole range of mental health and wellbeing services in schools, community hubs, online and from our base in the heart of Stockport, offered by our dedicated team of qualified paid and volunteer counsellors and wellbeing workers.

We know that everyone and every situation is different and that’s why we provide people with a space to talk, and to be heard.

We are looking for both newly qualified and experienced friendly adult counsellors, dedicated to improving the mental health and emotional resilience of our community.

Our ideal candidate is committed to providing a high standard in their work, with a passion to supporting clients to help them on their journey towards positive mental health and who embed and share Beacon’s values.

You will be delivering 1:1 counselling, face to face appointments and potentially remote, and be able to work evenings to meet the demand and needs of our clients, with a minimum delivery commitment of 15 client hours per week.

Our ideal applicant with be enthusiastic, caring, positive and committed to learning and developing within their role to ensure we continue to provide the best service to our clients. Although training to use our systems will be provided, you will have some digital competence and understanding to fulfil the administrative requirements of the role.

We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team at Beacon and would particularly welcome applications from under represented communities including, LGBTQIA+, older applicants and global majority communities.

Please see the job pack for further information regarding the roles.